This cool and creamy frog eye salad is the perfect make-ahead side dish. It is always quick to disappear at BBQs and potlucks!
Frog Eye Salad is the perfect accompaniment to your next backyard barbecue. This easy salad goes great alongside picnic favorites like pork belly, orange fluff, and baked beans.
This classic treat can be served as a dessert or as a side dish. With refreshing pineapple, whipped cream, and tasty marshmallows, this dish is sure to stand out at your next get-together. It has a wonderful fruity taste and an unusual appearance. It is similar to ambrosia salad except it adds tiny pasta.
No one knows exactly where it originated, but it is known to be very popular in Utah and the surrounding areas. Some say it originated in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Others claim it from the Midwest.
This dish is sure to be a hit at your next summer get-together. It is also great for potlucks, reunions, and church suppers. With only a few simple ingredients it’s easy to fit into your busy(and hot) summer schedule. Serve cold.
Why I Love This Recipe
- No-Bake: Who wants to turn their oven on in the summer? This is made on the stovetop only.
- Unique: This dish has people going back for seconds trying to figure out what it’s made of.
- Serves a Crowd: Perfect for potlucks.
What Is Frog Eye Salad?
Frog Eye Salad is more of a dessert than a salad. The base of the salad is actually a pasta called Acini Di Pepe. This pasta is what gives the dish its peculiar appearance and subsequently its name. It is then mixed with fruit and whipped cream. Its flavor and sweet and fruity. Best of all no frogs were harmed in the making! 😉
Ingredients Notes and Shopping Tips
- Acini de Pepe: Acini de Pepe (translated seeds of pepper) is a small round pasta about the size of a peppercorn. You may have had it before in wedding soup. Another small pasta like orzo, stars, or alphabets can be substituted if needed for the same texture.
- Cool Whip: You can use fresh whipped cream if desired.
- Fruit Juices: For best results used freshly squeezed. It will have better flavor and less acid.
- Marshmallows: Use rainbow if possible they add a nice pop of color.
- Sugar: If you’re looking to make this a healthier treat, omit some of the sugar (just note the dish will be less sweet). For even lower-calorie options, consider using a light or fat-free cool whip, or adding a sugar substitute for sweetness.
How To Make Frog Eye Salad
- Cook Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package direction. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt. Drain.
- Make the sauce: Juice your lemon and orange. You want about 1 cup total. If you don’t have enough, add some pineapple juice from your crushed pineapple. Mix with sugar and cornstarch. Cook until thickened.
- Combine pasta, sauce, fruit, and Cool Whip.
Leftovers
Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make-Ahead: Make up to 24 hours in advance. Store in the fridge and add your fruit, marshmallows, and Cool Whip just before serving. You can also boil the pasta ahead of time if desired.
Tips and Tricks
- Juicing: Get the most juice from your fruit by following these steps.
- Microwave: Microwaving the fruit for 10-20 seconds makes it softer, and easier to squeeze.
- Cut the lemon correctly: Cut the lemon vertically instead of horizontally. This gives you more surface area which can give you better access to all that wonderful juice.
- Roll your lemon: Rolling a lemon on the counter is an old bartender trick to get the most possible juice out of fruit.
- Juice Substitutions: If you don’t have enough lemon/orange juice,add some pineapple juice from your crushed pineapple.
- Don’t overcook your pasta: You want it to have some structure so it doesn’t get super soggy.
- Rinse Pasta: Rinse pasta under cold water to remove some starch. This will prevent it from sticking together.
- Drain Fruit: Drainfruit to make sure there is no excess liquid in the salad.
More Summer Salads To Try
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Frog Eye Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Box Acini De Pepe Cooked and Drained According To Box Instructions
- Juice of 1 Orange
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- 1 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 8 Ounce Cans Crushed Pineapple Drained
- 2 15 Ounce Cans Mandarin Oranges Drained
- 1 Cup Mini Rainbow Marshmallows
- 1 Tub Cool Whip Thawed
Instructions
- Cook Acini De Pepe according to the box directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, juices ,and cornstarch stirring frequently until sauce is thickened. Mix sauce with Acine de Pepe, cover, and refrigerate.
- Before serving, fold in pineapple, mandarin oranges,marshmallows, and Cool Whip.
Notes
- Acini de Pepe: Another small pasta like orzo, stars, or alphabets can be substituted if needed for the same texture.
- Cool Whip: You can use fresh whipped cream if desired.
- Fruit Juices: For best results used freshly squeezed. It will have better flavor and less acid.
- Juicing: Get the most juice from your fruit by following these steps.
- Microwave: Microwaving the fruit for 10-20 seconds makes it softer, and easier to squeeze.
- Cut the lemon correctly: Cut the lemon vertically instead of horizontally. This gives you more surface area which can give you better access to all that wonderful juice.
- Roll your lemon: Rolling a lemon on the counter is an old bartender trick to get the most possible juice out of fruit.
- Juice Substitutions: If you don't have enough lemon/orange juice,add some pineapple juice from your crushed pineapple.
- Don't overcook your pasta: You want it to have some structure so it doesn't get super soggy.
- Rinse Pasta: Rinse pasta under cold water to remove some starch. This will prevent it from sticking together.
- Drain Fruit: Drainfruit to make sure there is no excess liquid in the salad.
My store was out of colored mini marshmallows! Boo! BUT they had these new bags of “large”, soft Lucky Charms marshmallows! A bit bigger than the mini marshmallows….but I did NOT hear any complaints! This salad is so good and always a HUGE hit at potlucks! Is it a side dish? Is it dessert? Is it the thing you eat right before going back for seconds on the fried chicken? Lol…yes to all! 🙂 So delicious!
Oh wow! This looks great and so yummy! This is definitely going to be one of my hubby’s favorites! So excited to make this soon!
Incredible! It was the first salad that was finished at our party!
Such a classic! looks so good for Easter!
I thought it was more of a midwest thing. I’ve been making my mom’s recipe for 30 years and it’s a lot different than this one.
Hi Susan,
Would love to know what her recipe is like. There are so many fun variations!